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Parker, William (1810-1879)

Parker, William

London; cabinet maker (b.1810-d.1879)

Born c.1810 in Chingford, Essex, the son of a farmer and market gardener, William senior. On 1 February 1826 William was apprenticed to the cabinet maker and member of the Goldsmiths Company, Mathew Wild, of Grange Road, Bermondsey. On his death in 1831, Parker was turned over to Thomas Risdale of 4 Swan Street, Minories, City of London to complete his apprenticeship. Risdale was a brass manufacturer, citizen and wheelwright.

Parker became a freeman by servitude from the Goldsmith’s Company and set up his own business at 5 Queen Street, Finsbury in 1834 (Wm Parker, cabinet maker, recorded in the Post Office Directory 1845 at 5 Queen Street, Worship Street). He became recognised as one of the best cabinet makers of the area.

In 1838 William married Esther Greenhill (b.1815), who came from a landed family of Kings Langley. The couple lived at Queen Street until the late 1850s and had eight children there; their first son, Edward was born in 1839, Henry in 1842, Frederick in 1845, Walter in 1846, William in 1853.

By 1860 the family were living in Bracklyn Street, Hoxton, where they had a factory, stables and timber yard, and undertook all types of cabinet and upholstery work. Their labour force numbered about fifty, including polishers and yard men. The two eldest sons joined the firm but no record can be found of their apprenticeships. Henry eventually became responsible for design and both were admitted to the Freedom of the City by patrimony of the Goldsmiths Company on 1 March 1865. Henry died in 1876, Frederick became a successful upholsterer and furniture maker in his own right and Walter Parker was an upholsterer.

In the 1871 Post Office Directory, William Parker & Son was recorded as iron bedstead makers at 104, 106 & 108 Curtain Road, London.

William Parker died in August 1879 and is buried in Abney Park Cemetery, Stamford Hill. His son, Edward, took over the business and it continued until 1934 when his grandson, A. H. Parker, retired.

Sources: T C Parker, The History of the Company (V&A Department of Furniture, Textiles & Fashion files; Bland, Take a Seat. The Story of Parker Knoll 1834-1994 (1995).